As we all watch the news in horror I can’t help but wonder if we are growing numb to the evil in the world. It is easy to change the channel but with 49 dead and 53 wounded in Orlando in June and 84 dead and 202 wounded in Nice in July how can we continue to look away? It seems like every month there is another terrorist attack and they are getting closer and closer. According to Wikipedia, as of July 15, 2016 there have been 922 incidents of terrorism reported in the world. Many of the attacks don’t make the news in remote places such as the outskirts of Egypt, small towns in Syria or women being stoned to death in Iraq.

June was one of the most deadly months so far this year, with 218 incidents and over 1822 deaths including the attack at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando. So far July has seen over 84 incidents reported including both Dallas and Nice. It was shocking to see not even 24-hours after the Nice attack, Wikipedia chronicled two more incidents, tagging them to the bottom of their ongoing list. Wikipedia notes the type of attack, location, death toll, injury statistics, details and perpetrators. You can see the rankings and incidences by country. Not surprising Iraq ranks number one with over 2,714 incidences of terrorism in 2014, while the USA hoovers at 38 incidents for the same period. While that might sound like good news for us we still hold the number one spot for the worst terrorist attack in history on 911, when we lost 2996 souls. Unfortunately, our friends in France are ascending the dubious ranks from the middle of the list climbing rapidly up to the top tier. The disturbing facts go on to show everything from car bombings to mass shootings. According to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism 2014 showed a spike in deaths (43,550) and injuries (40,989).

*National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism.

On other sites, such as Islam Religion of Peace, there were shocking statistics with eerie benchmarks noting 28,822 attacks since 911. I shudder to think what their ultimate goal might be, mass annihilation or world dominance? After looking at the statistics you can’t deny the facts. Tensions are rising and we are at a tipping point. We need to wake up, stop changing the channel and figure out what we can all do to diminish the hatred in the world and strive for peace both in our country and in our own communities.

If these statistics aren’t alarming enough, we also appear to be imploding from within. Not only are our enemies out to get us we can’t even seem to get along as a nation. This is an important election year for our country. We need to elect a leader who will address these issues and come up with a plan to keep our country safe and united instead of divided.

Maybe you’re like me, numb to the evil in the world, all the rhetoric and politics. Many of my peers have said they may not even vote this year. The very thought has crossed my mind too. Then I think of the women who were stoned to death or the families suffering with loss after all this senseless violence and I remember how fortunate we are to have the right to vote and make a difference.

Let’s hope it won’t come down to a matter of self-preservation for our way of life, customs and beliefs. I would hate to see a day when we become afraid to travel or have to change the way we live our daily lives as a result of fear. We need all the strength we can muster to defend against the larger threat of terrorism looming at our very doorstep just waiting to claim its next victim. It’s time to take a stand, get out of our comfort zone and come up with real solutions for a broken world.

Jodi Cross is a marketing strategist, speaker and writer and can be reached at jcross@crossnm.com.

These are common questions that many small-business owners and operators ask. As a business owner you want to be strategic about how you allocate limited advertising dollars. Always begin with strategy. Placing one ad a few times is not a strategy and does not provide consistency or product positioning for your brand. If you don’t have the bandwidth to plan and budget for an entire year consider setting a quarterly strategy with clear goals and benchmarks to measure performance.

There are a variety of measurement indicators to show advertising effectiveness. The most coveted measurement is tied to revenue results. In other words, what happened to your sales during the time period you placed the campaign? Did you get more covers, calls, visits, clients or heads in beds? Tracking tools today are very sophisticated; in fact, there are many ways to look at analytics. You should be reviewing stat’s daily, weekly and monthly to see results and trends. Utilizing your CRM and POS software tools to compile analytical data is great way to view your business with a profitability lens.

There are hard and soft tracking mechanisms. Both should be part of your overall strategy. Once you have your hard POS data compare the output against your business goals to determine your return on investment strategy.

For example, let’s take a hotel with an ad for a specific need period.

What did the advertising campaign cost?

How many covers will it take to pay for the ad costs and production fees?

What ROI are you anticipating? What are the industry standards? 2 for 1, 4 for 1, 10 for 1?

Do you have benchmark data from the publication including results of other like clients?

Beyond ROI numbers, there are several soft measurement indicators you should consider:

Did phone calls and inquiries increase?

Were web site hits up during the advertising period?

Did you get more Facebook followers or social media fans?

Were there any percentage of sales increases related to the special offered in the Ad?

In addition to analytics and social media indicators, there are a number of creative issues that can play a role in advertising effectiveness.

Does the ad have stopping power? Will someone take notice, understand the offer and copy and know what to do?

Is your copy and message compelling? One of the biggest issues for business owners is copy overkill or poor copy that leaves the reader confused about the offer.

Does the ad have recall power and a strong call to action?

Is the ad visually appealing or has everything and the kitchen sink been included?

Remember the process begins with strategy! A marketing plan is a living document meant for continuous updates and improvements. For assistance on writing a marketing strategy or reviewing your advertising effectiveness contact Jodi Cross at Cross Network Marketing, Inc. (CNMI) at jcross@crossnm.com or visit crossnm.com for more tips and marketing trade secrets. Our job is to increase your profits and maximize your growth opportunities!

Testimonials

Read how CNMI improved other businesses:

"Jodi and I have been serving on the The Commonwealth Institute Board for many years. As the Executive Director of TCI, she has demonstrated what "execution" is all about and led others to keep our vision alive. Each and every initiative we partnered with touched and inspired many women owned businesses and executives to move their businesses forward; knowing that they have our organization behind them."

"From the moment we interviewed Jodi we knew she would be a great asset to our team of consultants. She drove results for our clients, built strong relationships internally with co-workers and externally with clients and partners. She is strategic, able to influence stakeholders and can manage highly complex and cross-functional programs."

“I've not only reported to Jodi, but I've worked side-by-side on projects over the course of ten years. I can describe Jodi in two words: Creative and resourceful! As a marketer, she truly enjoys thinking out-of-the-box without going over-budget. She's tough yet logical; smart and funny. We’ve worked together at Doral Golf Resort & Spa and Sonesta Hotels, including Trump International. She’s the kind of person you want on your team, because she’s able to take a project from beginning to end with excellent results. She has strong work ethic and really looks out for your best interest.”

"For over 10 years Jodi worked on multiple branding and marketing initiatives for Sonesta. Jodi is highly respected in the industry as a strategic thinker and results oriented brand leader. She has a unique skill set that combines a creative approach to problem solving along with an ability to articulate a clear strategic vision. Jodi understands the importance of integrating marketing from both a corporate prospective and on a property level. She was instrumental in re-branding Sonesta, launching our first loyalty program- Travel Pass and creating Food is Art a brand-wide initiative that took Sonesta to a new level. Her work ethic and focus helped move Sonesta forward."